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Saratoga Springs

I don't know much about Saratoga Springs except we happen to be there. DS#2 is on the way back to college in Vermont and we've stopped on the way so he can visit with friends who are in school in this town which is famous for horse racing, sulphur springs, and big old houses which must be very difficult to heat. We're at the Holiday Inn Express with jake the dog. DS#2 is staying in his friend's dorm room. The Holiday Inn is very nice with an indoor and outdoor pool. The pillows have little labels on them that say "soft" or "firm" in case you can't figure it out. The pools aren't labeled. We had breakfast at McDonalds and biked to the State Park where we saw a geiser (spouting water, not an old guy) and made reservations later today at the spa for a bath and massage, although we have a shower in our room at the Holiday Inn. To be continued.

If you're interested in thoroughbreds there is an excellent racing museum.

The town was built after the civil war when a lot of the wealthy from NYC wold go to the "country" for the spa/resort and the horse racing sprang up around it. The major race of the month-long meet - the Travers - is actually the oldest stakes race in the US- 2012 being the 143rd running (started in 1864). The grandstand is very quaint and the grounds pretty - but off season (august) not a lot to do.

Thanks. I'll try to go to the bakery tomorrow morning and maybe look at the racetrack this afternoon. There's harness racing tonight we might watch, and bet if we feel lucky (tell me punk, do you feel lucky?).

We just got back from our bath and massage and feel very relaxed. Some guy who worked there said as we left that the water had 100% success rate curing eczema and 93.9% curing something else. You know, you can't really believe anybody who says 93.9%. Anyway, now I gotta take ds#2 back to the dorm. We're leaving pretty early so a GTG is doubtful but I'll send you an email. Thanks SF for Thai and J62 for the ice cream and other recommendations.

Thoroughbred racing season is over but they are still running horses for training.

Go out to the practice track early tomorrow morning and you'll see them. Best viewing is by the Fasig-Tipton sales barn on East ave, just off of Union ave. About 5min bike ride from your hotel down Circular to Union.

Breakfast at Uncommon grounds is better than McD's.

Restaurants.
- My favorite is Sperrys on Caroline
- New brewery pub in town called Druthers. Some of the beers are good, others are ok. Ditto for the food. Regular burger is very good. I don't like the turkey burgers or the fish tacos.
- I also like this place called Elizabeth's - it's on the far end of Broadway, before the Hilton. They also have a very nice breakfast/brunch menu. It's not crowded at dinner like many other places.

Nightlife
- live music Friday nights at quite a few places.
One Caroline - don't know who's playing tonight but it's usually a nice atmosphere
Parting Glass - looked up the name but don't recognize the group - also a good place for live music.

Sporting events
No running races this weekend - the following sunday is a very big 5k & 13.1 race in town
THere's a nice bike tour tomorrow - leaving 8am out of Spa park. 25, 50, 62, and 100mi routes. Ditto for Sunday. I'll probably do the ride on Sunday.

I don't go anywhere the harness track - it's a different crowd vs the thoroughbred track - lots of harder core gamblers playing games & slots.

Farmers market - downtown by the Hampton Inn, Sat 9-1

Nearby/out of town. Visit Saratoga Battlefield Park. It's about 12 miles east of town. Nice history of the revolutionary war battle. Great 10mi bike riding loop too! One of my favorites.

Stroll through Congress park - several other springs there - ranging from sweet to vichy to fishy.

Start of school and/or orientation week at Skidmore, so lots of college kids back in town. You'll see them downtown Fri/Sat night, but not at the places I listed.

Again, feel free to pm me at the email I listed and I can give you more direct advice over the phone.

j62, thanks again for the phone call and suggestions. We've been walking with Jake several times already in Congress Park, right behind the hotel. We took ds#2 and friends to Hattie's for chicken dinner, then we went to Stewarts for ice cream. Single scoop was a very big scoop. Sadly, now we're too tired to do anything else. But tomorrow morning early we're going to go to Union and East avenue to watch the horses. And then to Mrs. London's bakery. That'll be fun. Then on to Vermont. Thanks again for all the insider tips to this nice city.

santamonica wrote "this town which is famous for horse racing, sulphur springs, and big old houses which must be very difficult to heat"

Most people don't heat them. Horse owners and racing fans and polo players go to other warmer places and other greener tracks for the winter. Saratoga has a season, and that is pretty much it.

In the past, of course, people came for a longer time to "take the waters", which were believed to have health promoting and curative powers.

You can emulate them if you walk around the downtown park sampling the various springs. I think there are thirteen of them. It is hard to imagine why they all taste so different from each other and be so close together. Some of them are remarkably nasty, too.

Happy to hear you've enjoyed our nice little city. And Stewart's ice cream too! (Un)fortunately there's a Stewarts on just about every intersection in these neck of the woods, so it's hard to resist the temptation...

Hope you got to see some of the horses run - they are amazing animals. I love bike riding through the countryside past the many breeding farms and seeing the little ones dash across the field with their mothers.

When I was a child my grandmother used to use the word Saratoga Vichy water, after the French town of the same name. The term is still around but not commonly used. I always thought she was saying "Fishy Water", which made perfect sense.

Most of the large Victorian era homes are now subdivided into apartments ranging from small to large. There are some that are still single family, like those near Skidmore that you surely passed. Those are, indeed occupied all year long and I'm sure are a bear to heat.

Yes, horse owners and trainers and racing fans have mostly departed for warmer pastures. Full time residents who sublet their houses for the track season are returning to town, happy to be back in their homes, and just as happy to have collected some $ to cover up to 6mo carrying costs.

We got up early this morning in Saratoga Springs and went to watch the horses per j62. We went to the fifth street gate, parked the car, and walked in, trying to look like horse people so we wouldn't be kicked out. It was really cool. We stood right next to the track and watched the warm-up runs and cool-down walks. People were friendly, several riders said good morning. Lots of riders. They must have strong thighs, they seem to float above the racing horses. When you're close you hear the horses hooves and breathing, loud quick rhythmic explosions. Beautiful creatures.

Then we walked to the stables and watched the grooms walking the horses in circles, and washing them down. There were hanging plants and flowers by the stables but none by the line of small rooms where the jockeys sleep. Not an easy life, but really fun to see.

Then to Mrs. London for a very tasty pastry, the Turkish Store for a few tchotchkes, and the dorms to collect ds#2, drive to vermont, and get him settled in his own dorm room. Then drive south through the rain to East Windsor NJ where we quit driving and found a hotel and a greek restaurant.

Thanks everybody (esp j62) for your last minute suggestions. It really does make traveling more fun. Home tomorrow.